THE Kaipara Advertiser, AND WAITEMATA CHRONICLE. WEDNESDAY, OCT. 15 1913. LOCAL AFFAIRS.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 15 October 1913, Page 2

THE Kaipara Advertiser, AND WAITEMATA CHRONICLE. WEDNESDAY, OCT. 15 1913. LOCAL AFFAIRS.

We fail to see why there should not be a satisfactory understanding between the Kumeu riding of the W aitemata County Council and the Helensville Town Board, which has apparently not yet been reached. It will be remembered that the Town Board asked the Council to take a road in connection with the water supply scheme over Mr John Hand's property. The necessary procedure was introduced, but the proceedings were subsequently cancelled after a legal opinion had been obtained. We now learn that the reason of this was because of the statement made ** that the road was not required by the County." But, as Cr Jas. McLcod pointed out at Friday's meeting, the road is required by the County, because the County still desires to obtain the large supplies of metal on Mr Hand: s property, for which an arrangement was made some time ago. The Town Board later took steps on its own account to get a road to the watershed; all the necessary procedure has been carried out, and the Board now owns the land desired, and incidentally the metal supplies contained thereon. The Board, however, fully recognises the Council's prior right to the metal, and is prepared to allow thkt body to take the metal according to arrangements previously made with, the former owner. In return for this courtesy the Board asks the Council, or rather Kumeu iiding, to form about ten chains of the Ohirangi road so as to give access to the Town Board's new road up to the Mangakura creek. We believe that money has already been allocated for this work, but as ,the road cannot be of any great service until a bridge is erected near Ohirangi, some opposition is shown by interested ratepayers in the vicinity against further expenditure, which we expect explains the attitude of the riding member (Cr Ken-Taylor) on the question. But the road will have to be formed right through eventually, and if done now will certainly prove of service to the County in giving access to the new road for metal supplies.

And if the Ohirangi road is formed through, to the site of the proposed bridge there is at once more powerful argument for the bridge to be erected ; an agitation in which the Town Board could join, as this road would be of great advantage to the whole district. As the position stands at present the Town Board has made a suggestion pregnant with equity, and if the Kumeu riding ratepayers who are most concerned view the question in a considerate manner we have no doubt but that an amicable arrangement will soon be recorded.